Bedstead



'UNITE BENJN. HINKLEY, OF UTICA, NEW YORK.

BEDSTEAD.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 5,656, dated July 5, 1848.

To all 'whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN HINKLEY, of Utica, in the 'county of Onedia and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in the Bottoms of Bedsteads, and that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the principle or character which distinguishes it from all other things before known and of the manner of making, constructing, and using the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, which is an isometrical view of my improved bedstead.

The nature of my invention consists in furnishing a substantial bottom to bedsteads which shall be elastic, and have all the advantages of a slat bedstead, while at the same time it serves to secure the posts and rails compactly together if need be without other aid. I

The construction is as follows: The posts (a) and coils (6) are of the most approved ordinary construction now in use, but instead of the common cord sacking or slat bottoms, I insert through the head and foot rails four hooks (c), two in each rail and near the posts the Shanks of these hooks pass through the rails horizontally, and on the outside they are furnished with a nut and screw, as clearly represented in the drawing, by which they can be drawn up for a purpose hereafter described. These hooks hook into the ends of two wooden or metal bars (d) properly made, which they sust-ain parallel with the side rails, and which are drawn up by these hooks to any desired degree of tension. On the top of the bars are parallel rows of pins (shown at e in the drawing), which serve to hold a series of slats (f) in their places. These slats eX- tend across from one bar (d) to the other and lap a little over them, but not far enough to touch the side rails. A hole is made in these slats near each end that lit over the pins above named, by which the slat is kept in place. By this means an elastic and cheap bottom is furnished, the screws serving to draw the posts and side rails together and thus strengthen the whole frame.

It is obvious that the slats may be attached to the bars by other devices and that modifications may be made in attaching and straining the bars, but as these are well known mechanical equivalents, they need no particular mention.

What I claim as my invention and desireto secure by Letters Patent is- Combining with the common bedstead, as

a substitute for cord, sacking, or slats, a bot-tom composed of two longitudinal elastic bars having screws attached to their ends by which they can be strained tight and the bedstead thereby held together while they afford an elastic support on which to place the slats as above set forth.

BENJA. HINKLEY: Witnesses:

ALEXR. PORTER BRowNE, J. J. GREENOUGH. 

